Chicago voters gave their approval to
James Cappleman, who won a runoff election against Molly Phelan with
55 percent of the vote in a contest to represent the people of Ward
46, which includes portions of Chicago's gay neighborhoods of
Boystown and Andersonville. Cappleman was endorsed by the Victory
Fund, a bipartisan group that promotes LGBT candidates.

At
the group's blog, Cappleman is quoted thanking supporters on
election night: “Never believe that you can't change politics as
usual. You can, and we have.”

“We're proud James will represent not
only his neighborhood but all LGBT people in Chicago,” said Chuck
Wolfe, president of the Victory Fund. “They've gained another
authentic voice on their city council, but more than that, they've
gained a real fighter.”

The 37-year-old Jobe is the president
of the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association, a group that
promotes a healthy business climate, and a University of Illinois at
Springfield graduate.

He works in the office of state
Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in the position of deputy chief of
staff.

Richard Rykhus captured a seat on the
Evanston school board with 81.7 percent of the vote. Rykhus and his
husband of six years, Carlos, are raising their six-year-old son,
Ty'rith. He's a former executive director of the Chicago chapter of
the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a group that
works to combat anti-gay behavior and bias in schools to reduce
schoolyard bullying of children based on sexual orientation and
gender identity. Rykhus will be sworn in on May 2.

According to gay glossy The
Advocate, Ray Johnson won reelection to his post as an Oak Park
village trustee.